


Queen

by bandwidthlimit



Series: Leverage Ficlets [6]
Category: Leverage
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:28:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25414693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bandwidthlimit/pseuds/bandwidthlimit
Summary: Nate tries to treat life like a chess game.
Relationships: Sophie Devereaux/Nathan Ford
Series: Leverage Ficlets [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1840567
Kudos: 6





	Queen

**Author's Note:**

> Another ficlet from 2011.

It started with little things, little things that were really big things, but that all of them had come to accept as normal. Nate would subtly put Parker or Eliot in a tense situation where really, Sophie would have handled it better. He kept her back, like a queen in a chess match, bringing her out ruthlessly across the board only to hide her again when the other players became too dangerous.

Somehow, gambling with a con was more acceptable than edging between her and a handsy drunk at the bar.

It's not that he was jealous, because he wasn't. Sophie's an attractive woman, and her body language oozed sexuality even when she was unaware of it. Or, maybe that was just what Nate saw. In any case, he wasn't sure why it's okay for him to use the team like marionettes to keep Sophie out of any situation that might even threaten to give her a hangnail, but keeping her from getting groped wasn't.

“What are you doing?”

He raised his eyebrows in question, hiding his mouth behind his glass.

“You don't need to take care of me, Nate. I can take care of myself, you know. I've been doing it a long time.”

Nate lowered his eyebrows, fighting the urge to be amused, because there was something in Sophie's voice that told him she was serious. He gave a little motion with his head, indicating that she could go on.

“Don't think we haven't noticed, Nate! Parker's come a long way, but she's still too liable to stab people with forks, and Eliot's good, but only for a little while, and it just doesn't make sense to send one of them in when I'm the one with the rapport, even if the mark is carrying a gun.”

He nodded at her, gesturing for the bartender to pour him another glass.

“I know you think you're being chivalrous, but chivalry only extends so far, and, and, and...”

Nate set the glass down on the bar and turned his head to her, a wry smile toying with the corners of corners of his mouth. He could hear the drunk behind him shuffling around in his chair, and decided, hey, if she wanted to take care of herself, okay.

“Are you finished?” He smiled, to show he was kidding (mostly).

Sophie took a deep breath, looking much calmer than she had a moment before and nodded firmly. “Yes.”

“Good,” he stepped out from in between Sophie and the drunk, touching her elbow as he walked away.

Part of him wished he could turn around to watch the scene unfold, but he could imagine the drunk reaching out to touch her, and was rewarded with an indignant, “Nate!” before he was even halfway across the bar.


End file.
